


"Captain America's More Important"

by IronDadStan



Series: Remind You [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Avengers Family, Avengers Tower, Bucky Barnes & Tony Stark Friendship, Bucky Barnes Is a Good Bro, Comfort, Domestic Avengers, F/M, Feels, Female Tony Stark, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fuck Howard Stark, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Howard Stark's Bad Parenting, Human Jarvis (mentioned), Mentions of past abuse, Nick Fury Knows All, Past Child Abuse, Protective Avengers, Protective Nick Fury, Protective Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Sam Wilson is a Gift, Serum, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, The Enchantress (marvel), Thor - god of fertility, Thor has no boundaries, Toni Stark - Freeform, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, amora (marvel) - Freeform, de aged, de-aged fic, mentions of child abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-12 20:26:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29141475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IronDadStan/pseuds/IronDadStan
Summary: ***“You surround yourself with idiots!”“Go back to Asgard, Amora. There will be no more chaos here!”“Well,” She whispered. “I would like to leave a parting gift for the woman of iron.”As the team yelled various ‘No’s!’ and ‘Wait’s!’ a green cloud appeared in between the Enchantress’ hands. Toni’s facemask dropped down, and just as her hands positioned to take flight, Amora threw the green ball of smoke directly at the center of Toni’s chest plate. The red and gold armor hit the grass like a sack of potatoes, light green smoke rising off her chest.*****
Relationships: Minor James Bucky Barnes/Clint Barton, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Remind You [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2120178
Comments: 4
Kudos: 105





	"Captain America's More Important"

**Author's Note:**

> Third installment of the Remind You series! This is one of my favorites I've written so far, just a good batch of angst and happy ending. 
> 
> There are many mentions of past child abuse in this story, so please heed the tags before reading.
> 
> Enjoy and leave a comment or kudos!!

**Set in 2014 - 6 months after ‘EBTCOYS’*

The Avengers had been in the middle of Brooklyn for about three hours now, fighting off what seemed to be giant lizards. Thor had known who sent them as soon as he saw the green and blue creatures. As he struck the giant lizards with lightning bolts he kept going on and on about someone by the name of: ‘The Enchantress’.

“If I never see a lizard again, it’ll be too soon,” Sam scoffed, sending Redwing off to scan the surrounding streets for more creatures. 

“Retweet!” Clint shouted over comms.

“Who even says that?” Steve asked, slamming his shield down onto the neck of a blue lizard.

“It’s Clint, what do you expect?” 

“What’s your count Iron Man?” Bucky hollered, from a nearby roof as he laid with his rifle, picking off lizards as they came into his view. 

“Seventy-five dumb ass lizards down, what about you frosty?”

“Seventy-three, I’m coming for you, Tin Can.”

“In your dreams, old man.  _ Ah! _ Sit still, stupid anphibian!” Toni shot down another yet lizard with a chuckle.  _ "Ah ha! _ Make that seventy-six!”

“Capppppp, your girlfriend is being mean to my boyfriend,” Clint whined into the comms. 

“Am not!’ Toni hollered back.

“Are so!” Bucky and Clint exclaimed. 

“Do your job, men, and leave my girlfriend alone,” Cap shouted over the comm line. A smile forming on his lips, despite the fact he was decapting a giant lizard at the same time. 

“You can practically hear the smile in his voice. Ugh, happiness is disgusting,” Sam joked, as he jumped off a building and flew after Toni.

“Leave the great Captain alone; it is very endearing to hear him express his love for our Shell Head outside of the bedroom,” Thor stated.

The comm lines went silent, not a soul speaking. Every Avenger was shocked by the words that had just left Thor’s mouth. The only sound on the com was a faint explosion. 

“My bad...” Toni muttered, flabbergasted by what had just left Thor’s mouth. 

“I’m sorry.  _ What? _ ” Clint asked with a chuckle.

“Thor? How do you know what they sound like when they’re fucking?” Sam questioned the god, slight amusement in his tone.

“Language!” Steve shouted, through his embarrassment. 

“No, this instance was definitely love making, Falcon. Stark is a lucky woman, the Captain seems to be the utmost; attentive lover.”

“Oh my gosh!  _ STOP! _ ” Toni yelled over the comms.

“There is no need for embarrassment, my fair genius. And may I say, Captain, as the god of fertility, the fact that you keep your lady moaning like she does--."

“You may  _ NOT _ say that Thor!” Steve yelled into his comms, he felt his face grow warm from embarrassment. 

“Please, just kill me now,” Toni muttered. The comms were full of laughter from the team and groans of embarrassment from Toni and Steve.

“One last question, Thor?” Clint asked.

“No more,” Toni begged. “Please.” 

“Yes, my SHIELD brother?” 

“How do you know what Steve and Toni fucking sounds like?”

“I’m with Clint, how do ya?” Bucky asked.

“Well, it was around three in the morning and I was on the common floor going to get a beverage and a delicious pop tart. Steven and Antonia were in the living room having their relations. Sex is nothing we hide on Asgard, so it was not awkward for me. Plus hearing how pleasurable it was for them both, I--.”

“Okay, Thor!” Nastaha cut him off with a chuckle. 

As the conversing of Toni and Steve’s sex life went on, the attack of the lizards had dwindled down.

“Targets have died down, let’s gather, discuss - clean up and wait for SHIELD,” Steve commanded in his comm, hearing a team of conformations.

The team had gathered together, in a makeshift circle in the grass of central park. None of the heroes looked either of their leaders in the eyes after the very informative conversation with Thor. An awkward air fell upon the group. 

“Soooo.. Steve’s got a good dick huh?” Clint asked, turning to Thor.

“Clint!” Steve shouted. 

“While, I didn’t see what the Captain was packing because he had been pleasuring Toni with his mouth--.”

“I will buy you a million pop tarts if you never,  _ ever _ talk about my sex life again!” Toni breathed, turning to face the taller god.

“Aww, come on,” Clint whined.

“You have your own super soldier, I don’t know why you need to know about mine!” Toni asked, now facing the archer. 

“But mine got the watered down version, maybe yours does things mine doesn’t!”

Bucky and Steve exchanged glances, looking the other super soldier up and down, thoughts of ‘watered down serum’ running through both their minds. They met the others blue eyes and shook their heads in disappointment.

“Well, shit. Just talk about your sex lives in  _ PRIVATE!"  _ Sam shouted. 

“Yes, over wine and cheese.” Natasha smiled.

“Yes, we can compare super soldiers! Dicks and all!” Clint said, placing a kiss to Bucky’s cheek.

“No, we will not compare dicks. Steve’s dick is mine and no one else's,” Toni told them, crossing her metal arms over her chest. Steve felt a bubble of pride and lust well up in his chest, as he watched a bit of possessiveness grow on his little genius face. 

“No fun, Stark!” Clint whined, with a grin.

“Can we please stop talking about my sex life and get back to the task on hand?’ Steve asked his team.

“Yeah but--.”

“No!” The team shouted at Clint.

“Fine, but when we get back to the tower we’re having a talk, Toni. Because, I have super soldier questions.”

“Just ask the super soldier; you have your own!” Sam pointed out.

“Yeah, what am I? Chopped liver?” Bucky asked.

“Fine, just stop talking and I’ll answer any questions you have," Toni said and flipped her face mask back down.

“Deal!”

“I would just like to say--.” And with that, the whole team let out a groan. Thor chuckled, brushing his teams groans of annoyance off and continued: “As the god of fertitally, you will be very fruitful with many blessings ahead of you. You two are a pairing the fates dream of.”

Steve shyly smiled and turned to face his dame. He knew as she turned away from the bigger man, even with her helmet on there was a blush growing on her cheeks.

“Oooh, that means nieces and nephews!” Bucky said, turning to high five his smaller boyfriend.

“I call being Auntie Tasha!” Nat remarked.

“Uncle Clint sounds good to me,” Clint agreed with a smirk.

“Nah, I think Uncle Hawky is a better name for you.” Steve said, getting a snort from Toni.

“No!”

“No, I agree with Steve. Uncle Hawky and Uncle Buck sound absolutely perfect,” Toni agreed.

“Oh, fuck off.”

“Avengers. Stop talking about my future grandchildren and finish up this mission.” They heard Fury in their comms. “By the way I call PawPaw,” and with that he ended his comm line. 

“I didn’t even know he was supervising his mission today..” Sam muttered, looking around the park for any sign of SHIELD.

Toni shook her head, as if she was laughing at the team's antics under her helmet. Steve flashed her a shy smile. Toni flipped up her faceplate, smiling back at the older man, and throwing a quick wink in his direction.

“Let's finish up here so I can get my lovely woman home, yeah?” Steve said, looking around at his teammates.

“Yes please, Captain.” Toni agreed.

“Disgusting,” Bucky grumbled, looking at Toni with a look of disgust on his face.

“Grotesque,” Sam agreed. 

Steve threw his hands up in the air with a sigh. Not five minutes ago they were quizzing Thor on Steve and Toni’s sex life and now it’s ‘disgusting’ and ‘grotesque’. 

“Let it go,” Natasha told him, patting the Captain on the shoulder with a chuckle falling off her lips.

“Fine, okay.” Steve sighed, placing his shield on the magnetic hold on the back of his uniform. “Great team work on the field today. No major injuries, no civilians injured and all enemies taken out, lets--.”

Steve was cut off mid-debrief by a puff of bright white smoke appearing in the center of the cockeyed circle the team had formed. A golden haired woman appearing from the smoke.

Shields raised, guns, arrows and repulsors pointed at the floating woman who had appeared, her body dressed in what Steve would assume was Asgardian fashion.

“Amora! What is the meaning of all of this?!” Thor proclaimed, moving towards the golden haired woman. 

“Well, my dear Thor. I had been getting a little bored on Asgard, home only offers so much entertainment. So, I decided to stop in for a bit of fun!”

“Endangering my beloved Midgard is not something I would qualify as fun, Amora!”

“To each their own...” And with that she turned to face Toni.

Steve tensed, watching the blonde, floating woman move a inch closer to Toni.

“You’re a very broken woman, aren’t you Antonia Stark?” Amora asked.

“Aren’t we all?” Toni responded, repulsors still aimed at the floating blonde. 

“Yes, but you more so than others.” Amora’s dainty finger brushing along the jawline of the Iron Man helmet. What looked like white smoke, following Amora’s finger as it ran along the helmet. Toni’s face plate popped open, her brown eyes wide in shock as she was now face to face with The Enchantress. “Abused, neglected, and forgotten. All at such a young age.  _ Tisk tisk _ ..”

“Look lady, I don’t know what your point is here--.” Bucky tried, but was silenced by Amora raising her hand.

“Amora. No more tricks!” Thor shouted.

“Of course, Thor. I just happened to hear you and your team talking about having a family and well…” Her hands gestured to Toni’s frame. “How can a beautiful woman like Antonia start one of her own when she is as broken as--.”

“That’s enough!” Steve shouted. “You can send as many fucking lizards to this city as you want, but you will not talk about Toni like this. She isn’t broken. She’s the strongest woman I’ll ever know,” Steve cut the Enchantress off, as he defended the love of his life. 

“Why Captain, you really do love this woman..” And with that, Amora turned away from Toni to face the angered Captain. “Why, I can give you more than she ever could.” Steve’s shield still raised, ready to defend any attack this woman had planned. He watched the flirty smile grow on the blonde’s lips as her eyes danced up and down Steve’s uniformed body. Anger raging through his veins as he replayed the words she spoke about Toni.

“Appreciate the offer,” Steve breathed, watching his girlfriend's facial expression fall.

A slight frown falling upon her lips as she turned her gaze to look at the grass beneath her boots. 

Knowing this situation that was unfolding in front of the whole team, was one of Toni’s biggest fears. Toni always feared Steve would leave her for someone she deemed ‘better’. It had taken both of them a night of sharing their biggest fears in relationships and wiping away the others' tears to understand just how in love they really were with the other.

“ _ No one _ .” Steve stated. “ _ No one _ , is better than the dame I have now. But thank you,” Steve flashed his doll a reassuring smile. Before turning back to face The Enchantress that was floating not four feet in front of him, and he gave her a polite smile. Amora scoffed, rolling her blue eyes in disgust before turning back to Thor.

“You surround yourself with idiots!” 

“Go back to Asgard, Amora. There will be no more chaos here!” 

“Well,” She whispered. “I would like to leave a parting gift for the woman of iron.”

As the team yelled various ‘No’s!’ and ‘Wait’s!’ a green cloud appeared in between the Enchantress’ hands. Toni’s facemask dropped down, and just as her hands positioned to take flight, Amora threw the green ball of smoke directly at the center of Toni’s chest plate. The red and gold armor hit the grass like a sack of potatoes, light green smoke rising off her chest. 

“ _ TONI! _ ” Steve yelled, placing his shield on his back, as he ran over to her fallen figure. Dropping to his knees, he moved his hands frantically alongside the armor looking for the emergency release hatch. His mind running a million miles an hour, trying to remember where Toni told him the emergency hatches were hidden.

“Amora!” He heard Thor yell, but he was too focused on checking on Toni and getting her out of that armor.

“JARVIS, help me with the hatches!” Steve shouted, his glove covered hands pushing along the side of the chest plate.

_ “Captain, your heart rate is dangerously high and is causing you to become unstable. Please allow Sargent Barnes and Wilson to get Miss. Stark out.”  _

Steve felt Thor and Clint pulling him away from Toni’s still form, protests falling from his lips as he felt their hands grab his shoulders, successfully pulling the panicked soldier away from Toni’s suit. Natasha came into sight, blocking the colors of red and gold from his vision. 

“It’s gonna be okay, Steve. JARVIS said her vital signs are normal. Heart rate is a bit higher than normal, but given the circumstances, it’s completely understandable.” 

Everything Nat was telling him was supposed to calm him down. That was good news, her vital signs being normal. But, something didn’t feel right, something in Steve’s gut was telling him something was wrong. So nothing was gonna soothe his nerves, except hearing and seeing that his dame was okay. 

“Umm. Steve, you need to see this.” He heard Sam mutter, an underlying panic in his tone.

Steve took a deep breath, and with Nat, Clint, and Thor at his side, he made his way to the Iron Man armor. But nothing, no amount of deep breaths, or controlled breathing. Hell, not even a shot of tequila could have prepared him for what he saw. Where Toni was supposed to be inside the suit, was now a small child.

A little girl, maybe four or five years old, with short brown hair, laid sleeping in the armor.

“Toni?” Steve whispered, his voice breaking as he took in the small child laying in the armor, where his full grown girlfriend had just occupied not less than five minutes ago. 

_ “I can indeed confirm that this is Miss Stark.” _ JARVIS told, confirming everyone's worst fear. 

Amora had changed Toni back into a child. A tiny child.  Steve sucked in a quick, cold breath and turned to face Thor.

“Find Amora. Reverse the spell.” He commanded. “ Do it _ now.” _

“Of course, Captain.  _ Heimdall!” _

And with that a flash of rainbows came over Thor, and he was off to Asgard. 

Steve turned back to the tiny Toni Stark that laid unconscious in the Iron Man suit. He drew another deep breath, praying that would help to calm his nerves. He ran his hands through his blond hair, a sigh falling off his lips.

“JARVIS, tell Bruce we are on the way to the tower, and for him to have a medical bay ready.”

_ “Right away, Captain.” _

“And J?”

_ “Sir?” _

“Call Fury.”

_ “Yes, Captain.” _

Steve gently picked the child version of his girlfriend in his arms. Smiling down at the miniature version of his dame, and placed a soft kiss to her forehead. 

“Send the suit to the lab please, J.” Steve whispered, and watched the suit closed up and headed for Stark Tower. 

_ “Dr. Banner has been informed and is ready for your arrival. Director Fury asked me to relay his message. ‘She better be unharmed or I’m sending all of you to Antarctica on a four month long mission.’” _

Steve sighed and headed for the black SHIELD suburban, shielding Toni’s body from wandering eyes as much as he could. 

“When is Fury gonna stop threatening that mission already? We know it’s an empty threat,” Clint said as they loaded into the black car.

“Four agents in 2004 were sent to Antartica for six months,” Natasha informed them, with a blank expression on her face.

“And? Did they come back okay?” Sam questioned.

“Dunno,” Natasha said with a shrug. 

Clint shivered and turned his attention to the miniature Toni that rested against Steve’s chest.

“You better be okay, little Stark.”

“Please, be okay,” Steve whispered, placing a kiss to her forehead. 

The ride back to the tower was a quiet one, no one wanting to disturb the sleeping genius. Half of the team was afraid of her waking up in the car and freaking out on them, no one wanted that.

**

About an hour after being back at the tower, Bruce cleared mini Toni and declared she was in perfect health, just a tad under weight and on the small side for a five year old. 

The team showered, changed into their civies, and gathered around the room of the sleeping Toni. Steve sat in the chair to Toni’s right, still in uniform as he didn't wanna leave his tiny genius's side. Bucky sat to her left. Clint, Sam and Natasha resting against the wall behind Bucky. 

“She’s super cute,” Nat said, fondly smiling at the child genius.

“Yeah, she is. All those pictures in the old magazines don’t do her justice," Bucky stated.

“Fucking Howard Stark,” Steve mumbled under his breath.

Toni had shared some of her childhood, and growing up under the thumb of Howard Stark, and if Steve ever got the chance, he would knock Howard’s block off. Hearing the stories of how he paraded Toni around in public like he actually cared for her, only to treat her like trash when they were out of the public eye. He had never wanted to hurt someone quite like he wanted to hurt Howard Stark.

Steve knew there was still a lot of Toni’s past that she hadn’t shared with him yet, but he hoped the Toni that laid on the bed in front of him, hadn’t experienced any of it. 

The team carried on small talk, chatting about the villain of last week, the giant lizards of today's battle and what they were gonna have for dinner tonight when the tiny genius began to stir. 

“Wh.. Where am I?” They heard the tiny, sweet voice of Toni. Steve watched as every superhero in the room was grinning from ear to ear at the pureness in her voice. 

“Hi Toni,” Steve whispered. “Do you know who I am?”

Toni looked the bigger man up and down and her huge brown eyes grew in shock as they rested on his uniform covered chest. The monitor beeping like crazy as her heart rate jumped, her tiny hands white knuckle gripped the white sheets of the hospital bed, pulling them up around her neck. 

“You’re Captain.. Ca- Captain Am-America.. I- I didn’t do an-anything..” She whispered, whipping her heads around the room as if she was looking for someone familiar. 

“It’s okay, Toni, you’re safe,” Steve told her, thankful the younger Toni recognized him. He just wasn’t sure why she looked so scared. 

Toni wearly looked at every hero in the room, up and down taking in every detail. Once her big brown eyes settled on Bucky and Sam her little cheeks grew as red as a tomato as she blushed looking at the two men that rested to her left. 

“Why, hello there, baby doll,” Bucky grinned, laying the Brooklyn accent on even thicker. 

Steve chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest. Only a little bit jealous that tiny Toni had a crush on his teammates. 

“You're Bucky Barnes...” Toni whispered, her eyes growing in shock as she stared at Bucky.

“I am.” Bucky nodded his head. “How do you know who I am?” He asked with a soft smile on his lips.

“I’ve read all the Captain America comics. You’re my favorite! Father said it should have been Cap, but I liked you the best...” Taken back by her own excitement, Toni curled back into the sheet, a muffled ‘sorry’ falling from her lips.

“Don’t apologize, Toni. It’s alright to be excited.” Steve told her. “Bucky is super cool,” Steve pointed out, laying his hand on the smaller child's. 

Toni flinched away like Steve had smacked her in the face. She quickly pulled her hand away, hiding it back under the white sheet, turning her body to face Bucky.

The room went deadly silent, a broken groan falling from Bruce’s lips and he excused himself from the room with tinged green skin. 

_ “Back up, slowly.” _ Clint signed to Steve.

Steve nodded his head and listened, slowly standing to his feet. Toni flinched again as he stood to full height. Clint took a deep breath and signed again, saying: _ “It might be best, if you leave the room.” _

“No!" Steve shouted to Clint, and regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth. Because Toni buried her head further under the sheets, and he heard little sniffles fill the room.

“Out,  _ now," _ Natasha whispered, pointing to the door.

Steve turned back to the sniffling girl, softly saying: “I’m so sorry I scared you, Toni.” 

With that Bucky flashed him a sad smile, and Steve felt his mood sour even more as he noticed Toni’s little hand was wrapped around two of Bucky’s fingers. 

Steve begrudgingly followed Clint and Natasha into the hallway, dreading every step he took away from his little genius. 

“What did I do?” Steve asked softly, looking back at the door that led him to Toni. 

“Steve... You know of Toni’s history with her dad,” Natasha said, leaning her back against the wall. 

“Yeah, he verbally and mentally abused Toni most of her life. The definition of human garbage.”

“Well... You’re half right.” Nat pointed out, and nodded to Clint. 

“She’s gonna kill us for this. You do know that right?”

“I’ll deal with the fallout from adult Toni. He’ll figure it out even if we don’t tell him.”

Clint nodded his head and took a seat in a grey chair that was pushed against the white, medbay wall. “Sit,” he added, pointing to the seat beside him.

Steve threw his hands in the air a huff leaving his lips as he took a seat beside the archer.

“What don’t I know?” He asked Clint, while watching the red-headed assassin from the corner of his eyes.

“Toni was three and a half years old when Howard fucking Stark hit her for the first time.” 

They heard the deep voice say. Steve whipped around in his chair to see Nick Fury walking towards them.

“What?” Steve questioned, rage and hurt building in his chest.

“Gave her a black eye and knocked out her first loose tooth. Told the media that she fell off a swing in their backyard.”

Steve didn’t even notice his hands squeezing the arm rests of the chair until they came off in his hands.

“She was only three?” He asked softly, and dropped the broken armrests on the floor.

Fury looked down at the armrests as they fell to the floor and then turned his attention back to Steve.

“Yeah, just a baby,” Fury said softly. “I made sure the next lab accident he had, he didn’t get out unscathed… Maria had called me after it happened. I’ll never forget that phone call... I’d been with SHIELD for four years and assigned to guard the Stark’s for two, so I grew very close to Edwin Jarvis and her. I won't ever forget the sound of Toni crying in the background, hearing Edwin trying to sooth her and hold frozen peas to her eye at the same time. Howard was lucky he was gone when I got to the house, or he would have been a dead man…” A dark chuckle fell off the older man's lips. “I imagined Maria had something to do with that though.”

Steve sat back in his armless chair and bit the inside of his cheek. He’d known Howard was a dick; Toni had told him that much. But, he never knew he had hurt his own child like this. He never knew Howard had physically harmed Toni, that Howard laid a hand on her in anger.

“Three-years-old?” 

“From three to nineteen years old, then he died,” Clint said, and buried his face in his hands. 

“How do you know?” Steve questioned, uncomfortable with the fact that Clint and Natasha knew this heavy information about his girlfriend, but he didn’t.

“I know almost everything there is to know about Toni Stark. Fury assigned me to her in 2010 when she was dying from palladium poisoning,” Clint said fondly, as if he was playing memories of him and Toni in his head. 

“For some reason... I always thought Nat was assigned to her, but I guess that explains how you and Toni are so close.” Nat snorted, a smile growing on her lips as Clint discreetly elbowed her in her ribs.

“Shut up,” he whispered.

“What?” Steve asked, looking at Clint, trying to figure out what he had missed. 

“Nothing we need to discuss right now,” Fury told him, shooting a glare at the murder twins and made his way to the Toni’s door. “I need to go see my little goddaughter. You two take Cap up to the common area and get dinner going. Toni likes chicken fingers and french fries.” And with that Fury and his black leather coat disappeared into Toni’s room.

“I’m gonna ask about this when Toni’s back to her adult self,” Steve told them, looking wearly at Natasha and Clint.

“Oh, goody.”

**

Fury walked into the room to see a giggling, five year old Toni Stark. The same spiky brown hair, and innocent doe eyes. 

“There’s my sweet goddaughter.”

Toni jerked her head in the direction of his voice and let out a scream of joy as she took in the sight of the older man.

“Nicky! You’re here! You look old, what happened?! Oh! Look Nicky, this is Bucky! The real one! And! And!” and with that the ball of energy that was Toni Stark pointed to Sam, a smile wide her lips. “That’s Sam! He’s a superhero with Bucky! They keep me safe!”

Fury smiled, sitting down onto the hospital bed, pulling Toni onto his lap, placing a kiss to the smaller girl's head.

“That’s amazing, Amore. I’m so glad they are keeping you company.”

Fury shot a glare to both men, daring them to make a comment about his actions towards the smaller Toni.

“They’re so handsome Nicky.” Toni tried to whisper in Fury’s ear. 

“I’m glad you think so, Amore. Are you alright in here? I heard you had a scare before I got here?” Fury questioned and ran his hand through Toni’s messy short hair.

“Yeah," she answered meekly. “I got scared.. Bu-But Bucky told me it’s okay to be scared sometimes! And! And! Sam said it’s okay because he gets scared sometimes too!” 

“They’re both correct. But, no one here is gonna hurt you, Amore. And to remind you of that, I’m assigning Bucky and Sam as your very own bodyguards!”

Toni’s eyes grew in surprise and she turned to face the other men. 

“You guys will protect me?” 

“Of course, we will," Bucky answered with a grin.

“I would be a pleasure, tiny Stark," Sam agreed.

“Bu-but you’re adults.. And superheros. You don’t have time to watch me.. I don’t matter.. I’m just a little kid.” Toni laid her head back into Fury’s chest, the exciting energy that had embodied the five year old was now gone. A sigh fell from his lips as he began running his hand up and down her back, to comfort the smaller Stark.

“Of course, we wanna hang out with you, baby doll. You’re the coolest kid I’ve ever met!” Bucky reassured her. 

“Yeah, I bet you could help me build really cool robots!” Sam proposed.

“Robots?” Toni questioned. “Like Mr. Bucky’s arm?” She asked, slowly lifting her head from Fury’s leather jacket. 

“Yes, ma’am! Just like it, if ya want that is?” Bucky asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I would love that! So much!!” Toni jumped from Fury’s arms to Bucky's. The bubbling ball of energy that was Toni Stark was back.

“Alright, my tiny genius! Let’s get some dinner and let the building robots commence!” Bucky grinned, picking Toni up, placing her on his left hip. 

“Dinner!” Sam shouted, leading the two men and Toni out of the room.

“Nicky?” Came her tiny voice.

“What’s up, Tones?” He asked, a soft smile on his lips.

“Will Ca-Captain A-America be okay with me? Eating with all the adults?”

Sam and Bucky shot Fury with a questioning look, concern prevalent on their faces. Fury brushed them off and responded to the five year old, with a reassuring smile.

“He’ll love it, Amore. Plus, if you get scared you can come sit on Bucky’s, Sam’s or my lap, okay? We will keep you safe.” 

And with that, they made their way into the elevator and up to the common floor. 

***

Arriving in the dining area of the common floor, Steve shot Bucky a questioning look as he noticed Toni resting on the soldiers hip. 

“Babydoll, I would like to introduce you to all my friends. The redhead is Natasha, the short blond in the purple shirt is Clint, and the man with the glasses and curly brown hair, is Bruce.” Toni gave the room a shy smile and waved her hand to her new friends. 

“And that man right there is St--."

“Steven Grant Rogers. Born July 4th, 1918. To Joseph and Sarah Rogers. I know,” Toni whispered, burying her face back into Bucky’s neck. 

“Howard, you fucking freak,” Clint muttered at a volume only the adults could hear. 

Steve threw a fake smile on his lips, trying to hide the shock that he felt. Why in the world did a five year old Toni Stark know Steve’s birthday and parents' names? He knew Howard had grown a slight obsession with Steve after he had gone into the ice, he knew that Howard collected Captain America memorabilia and most of pre- Captain America, Steve Rogers' belongings. But he never imagined it was something this bad. What kind of sick freak would force all this information on a child. 

As Steve looked at the five year old version of his girlfriend, he couldn’t help but feel his heart break at what she had been through as such a young child. All he could think about was his Toni, and how much of her past she hadn’t yet shared. How much more had she been through in her twenty-four years of life? 

"Come here, T, you can sit with me for dinner,” Sam said, walking over to Bucky making grabby hands for the five year old.

“ _ T  _ ?” Steve mouthed the new nickname that had fallen off Sam’s lips, looking at Natasha. Natasha responded with a shrug and took a seat at the dark wooden table beside Clint. 

As the superheroes all took their seats, they began passing around the pans of food, filling everyone's plate. 

“What else would you like, T? Some more french fries?” Sam asked, with a comforting smile.

“Oh, no thank you.” Toni whispered. “Five is plenty. Thank you though.” Toni stared down at her plate of two chicken tenders and four french fries. 

“Well, I think, as your personal bodyguard, you should at least eat ten french fries," Bucky said and watched the smile that grew on the tiny genius’ face. 

_ "Ten?!”  _ Toni asked. “That’s a lot of fries!” Her brown eyes grew wide, as she turned to Sam for approval.

“At least ten! I agree with my partner. Ten french fries for you, little T.” And with that, Toni busted out laughing, her joy filling up the room.

Steve wasn’t sure why that was so funny, but if it made Toni happy after the crazy day she had he was a-okay with it.  As the team carried on with small talk over dinner, Toni was the first one finished. She sat on Sam’s lap, eyes to the floor. Her arms resting on her legs, as she waited for the last few of them to finish their dinner. 

“Would you like some more, Toni?” Natasha asked, bringing everyone’s attention to the short haired brunette. 

“No, thank you, ma’am,” Toni whispered, her eyes not leaving the floor.

“You can call me Nat.” 

“No, ma’am.” Toni shook her head ‘no’. “Father says I can’t call adults by their first name.” 

A smile grew on Natasha’s face as she said: “How about Auntie Nat?”

Toni’s smile grew and she nodded her head. 

“Awesome, how about some ice cream then?” Nat asked, getting up from her chair.

Toni looked to both Bucky and Sam, for her approval to get some ice cream.

“Well, as one of your bodyguards,” Sam said, eliciting an adorable giggle from Toni lips. “I think ice cream is a great idea! Let’s follow Auntie Nat into the kitchen!” Sam set Toni down on the floor. 

“Ice cream!” Clint yelled, running into the kitchen. Toni watched wide eyed as Clint ran ahead of the team.

“Go on.” Fury said, smiling at the smaller girl. 

“Wait for me, Mr. Clint!!” Toni yelled, giggling as she ran after the archer. “Ice creammmmmm!” 

The team made their way into the kitchen, they saw Toni sitting on the counter with spoons and bowls as Clint started to scoop the ice cream.

“Who wants what?” Clint asked, laying out the chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry containers out on the counter.  With various shouts from the team declaring they wanted chocolate and vanilla, Clint turned to Toni and asked:

“And what would my little genius like?” 

Toni blushed, and pointed her little fingers to the container of strawberry ice cream.

“Great choice!” Clint proclaimed, placing a kiss to her forehead. 

Steve decided to sit on the bar stools at the island with Bucky and Sam, as they watched the archer continue to make Toni laugh.

“Cap, what would you like?” Clint asked, raising his chocolate covered ice cream scoop in the air.

“I would like strawberry please." Steve grinned, knowing that strawberry ice cream was Toni’s favorite, so he was going to do anything he could think of to get the little girl to feel more comfortable around him.

“Hmm,” Clint muttered holding up the empty container of strawberry ice cream. “It seems little T got the last of the strawberry. What else can I get you?”

“That’s alright.” Steve smiled at the little brunette and turned his attention back to Clint, saying: “I’ll have--.” And before he could finish his sentence, Toni had pushed her bowl or strawberry ice cream, the glass bowl scraping across the marble counter as she pushed it in front of Steve’s hands. She gave him a soft smile and turned back to face Clint.

Steve heard Fury sigh from the kitchen table, and Steve looked down at the bowl of strawberry ice cream.

“No, Toni. This is your ice cream, sweetheart,” Steve told her, going to slide the bowl back across the black marble countertop.

“No. Father always said Captain America came first, so I’ll just have chocolate," Toni muttered to Clint.

Steve stared down at the bowl of strawberry ice cream and failed at holding back the tears in his eyes. ‘Father always said Captain America came first’ running through his head. What kinda father puts an assumed dead man above his own child? Steve felt Bucky’s hand softly rubbing his back, trying to comfort his brother. Steve turned his gaze back up to the tiny Stark, trying to hide the heartbreak on his face.

“Toni?” He asked, his voice breaking as her name fell from his lips.

“Yes, Ca-Captain Rogers?” She asked softly, not looking up from her feet that were crossed underneath her on the countertop. 

“God damn it.” He whispered, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Toni, I would really love it if you ate this strawberry ice cream.” 

She quickly shook her head ‘no’ and turned to face Clint, who was watching the scene unfold. 

“Please?” 

“Captain America’s more important,” Toni softly muttered, like it was a phrase she had said everyday. 

“Toni..” Fury said, making his way over to the small brunette.

“Yes, Nicky?” 

“I think you should eat that bowl of strawberry ice cream,” he said, placing a kiss to the top of her head. 

“No, Nicky. You remember what father says.” 

“He’s not here right now, Amore. Me and the team are gonna be watching you for a couple days and Jarvis gave me strict orders to make sure you eat strawberry ice cream.”

“He did?” Toni asked, with a grin spanning from ear to ear.

“He did. He even told Sam and Bucky.” Fury directed her attention to the two men who sat at the bar. “Didn’t he, fellas?” 

“Yes sir!” They both confirmed with a salute, and went back to shoveling ice cream into their mouths.

“See? So, how about it? Wanna have some ice cream?”

“Yes!”

Steve smiled and began to push the bowl back to Toni when the little girl turned her attention back to Clint, saying: “Chocolate please?”

“Chocolate it is, little T.” Clint said softly, flashing the tiny brunette a sad smile.

Clint finished scooping her ice cream and sat the little girl on his hip, her ice cream bowl in his other hand as he carried her over to the kitchen table.

As they bypassed Steve on their way to the table, Toni gave him a weak smile and said:

“I hope you enjoy your ice cream, Mr. Captain America.”

Steve looked down at the melting bowl of strawberry ice cream and swore to himself. He had never hated a bowl of ice cream more than he did in this moment. 

***

Toni constructed a sleepover with Natasha, Clint, Bucky and Sam that night in the living room. Steve had never seen a five year old kid more ecstatic to hang out with four adults than Toni. And as much as Steve wanted to stay up with them and hang out, build robots and forts, he knew he would only make Toni uncomfortable. So he slumped his way down the hallway to his and Toni’s room to stare at the ceiling till daylight.

That next morning, when he got back from his run and had showered. Steve made his way into the living room, seeing what looked like pieces to a robot scattered around the floor and the superheroes spread out all over the room-- on top and under some pretty well structured couch forts. Toni’s designs, Steve would bet money on it. His little genius was snuggled on Bucky’s chest, on top of one of the couch forts with a blanket laying over their waists. While Sam and Clint rested inside the fort snuggled up with a pile of blankets as Natasha was passed out on a bed of pillows outside of the fort.

“JARVIS, snap a photo would you?” Steve asked fondly, as he smiled at the world's deadliest assassins all cuddled up on the living room floor after having just spent a night hanging out with a five year old.

_ “Of course, Captain.” _

“I’m gonna go ahead and make some breakfast. Let me know when they start to stir would you?”

“ _ Yes, Captain. _ ”

Steve had finished cooking the bacon, and had blueberry pancakes sizzling in the pan -- Toni’s favorite. As he waited to flip the rest of the pancakes, he peeled and sliced up some oranges.

_ “They slumber party has awoken and are headed towards the kitchen, Captain.” _

“Thanks, J.”

He placed the last plate down on the table when the sleepy gang made their way into the kitchen 

“Good morning!” Steve announced, smiling at his team members watching as they slumped over to the table. 

“Is it?” Clint asked, pouring himself a glass of orange juice. 

“Yes, it is.” Natasha agreed with Steve as she smiled down at the little Toni who was holding her hand. “Come on, let’s eat breakfast,” the two girls made their way to the table to take their seats for breakfast. “As Toni’s bodyguards, you should fix her plate,” Nat said, smirking at the two men who were face down on the breakfast table. Bucky let out a tired groan, as Sam lifted his head off the table, flashed Toni a soft smile.

“Right. What can I get for you, squirt?” Toni looked around the room and when she met Steve’s eyes, she quickly looked down at the Avenger’s themed placemat in front of her. 

“Anything is fine, really.”

“I made blueberry pancakes,” Steve said, shooting her a hopeful smile.

“ _ Blueberry?" _ Toni whispered, “That’s my favorite. M-may I have some, sir?” Toni asked looking up at Steve with hopeful brown eyes. 

“As many as you want.” And the smile that graced little Toni’s face, was a smile Steve would never forget. That was the first time she had smiled at him since she had been de-aged.

The whole team sat down for breakfast, eating, laughing and enjoying their time together when it all happened. Toni and Clint had gotten up and were making their way over to the sink to clean up their breakfast dishes, while Steve was on his way back to his seat with a fresh cup of hot coffee. 

He never even saw the little genius step off her stool, holding a glass plate in her little hands. She had bent down to grab a fork that had fallen and Steve bumped right into her - spilling his hot coffee all over Toni. The plate and cup shattering against their bare feet. 

A blanket of shock ran across the room, not a soul speaking as they turned their attention to Steve and tiny Toni.

Steve snapped out of his shock, immediately scooping the young Toni in his arms, placing her on the edge of the sink. He grabbed a clean, damp washcloth and tried to get all the coffee off of her as fast as he could. Toni’s brown eyes were as wide as saucers as she was frozen in shock of the events that had just transpired. 

“There’s pieces of glass all in her feet and legs. Nat, get Bruce and the first aid kit. Clint, Sam clean up this mess please. You’re okay Tones. It’s alright. I’m  _ so sorry, pumpkin _ , I didn’t see you there,” Steve apologised profusely, as he continued to put cold water over the burns on her small arms. “I’m so sorry, I hurt you.”

Just as Bruce and Nat made their way back into the kitchen, Toni seemed to snap out of her shock. She immediately jumped off the sink, pushing the glass up further into her little feet, as if she was feeling no pain at all. She dropped to her knees and started cleaning up the broken shards of glass. 

“I-I’m s-so sorry. Ple-please don’t  _ hi-hit me _ , Cap-tain Am-America..” Toni sobbed. “I.. I didn’t.. I didn’t mean to. Please, don’t hit me.”

The little five-year-old cried on the floor. Not worried about the second degree burns on her neck and arms, or the shards of glass in her bleeding feet and legs. No. Toni was worried he was going to hit her. That Steve would  _ hit _ her.

The room froze. Not a soul moved as the scene unfolded in front of them. Watching their de-aged team mate, sob on the floor, scared to death that Steve was going to hurt her. 

Steve stared down at his hands and remembered when he and Toni first met in Germany. When they loaded on the quinjet with Loki, how Toni had flinched when Steve moved his hands around, gesturing to the asgardian god. Steve began playing back their interactions their first year together, just now noticing her body’s slight flinches when he moved quickly around her, or the weary look in her brown eyes when he would raise his voice. Had Toni been afraid of Steve for the past two years? Was she still afraid that Steve would use his hands to harm her. Did she have that fear every time Steve held her, everytime he hugged her, everytime they made love. Had Toni been afraid he would use his hands to hurt her?

Little Toni continued to cry and pick up broken glass off the floor with her shaking, burned hands. Steve immediately dropped to his knees, as tears fell down his cheeks. 

Toni flinched back as the bigger man came into her sight and screamed: “Pl-please! Pl-please Ca-cap-captain A-merica.” The little girl hiccuped through her tears, “Please, don’t hi-hit me. I’m so-sorry, I’ll never do it again! I promise!” 

“Get Fury,” Steve heard someone on the team say, but he was too distracted by Toni to care.

“Toni?” Steve asked softly as tears fell down his face.

“I’m sorry,” she cried.

“Sweetheart, sweetheart, please look at me.” Toni lifted her head and looked up at the bigger man.

“Please,” Toni begged.

“Who told you I would hit you?” Steve felt his stomach drop, a feeling of heartbrokenness he’d never quite experienced before settling in his gut. He wanted to throw up and cry all at the same time.

“Father. H-he said, if I ever mess-messed up. He would find you, and, and you would beat me for being a-a bad kid.”

“Toni, I would never, ever hurt you.” Steve whispered. “Toni, I will never lay a hand on you like that. Sweetheart, never. Captain America would never hit a kid, no matter the circumstances. Please, please believe me, Toni.” 

And with that Toni looked around the room, wiping the tears from her eyes as she looked for conformation in the people in the room, her watery brown eyes settling on Nick Fury.

Steve wasn’t sure how much he’d heard, but all he cared about right now was Toni.

“You won’t? N-not even if I spill something? Or light something on f-fire o-on accident?”

“You could burn this whole tower down, Toni. I would  _ never _ hurt you.”

Toni’s eyes watered up again, but this time she threw her little body into Steve’s chest, tucking her face into his neck, and sobbed. 

“I k-knew you would protect me, Captain America.” She sobbed into his neck. “I-I knew it.”

Steve sat there rocking her back and forth in his arms, kissing the top of her head and reassuring her that he loved her, over and over until her sobs turned into sniffles. 

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, and Steve really didn’t care. He just wanted this little girl in his arms to feel safe. But, when he opened his eyes, all the glass and coffee was cleaned up and breakfast was too. 

Toni slowly lifted her head from his neck with a sniffle and raised an eyebrow as she looked at Steve’s face.

“Why are y-you crying? Are you hu-hurt?” 

Of course the little five-year-old that was Toni Stark, with glass in her feet and legs, and burns littering her body asked if Steve was hurt. 

“No, babydoll. I’m just sad.” Her little blistered hands let his shoulders and wiped the tears from his cheeks. Toni smiled a weak smile at the bigger man and whispered: “Don’t be sad, please," as she laid her head back down onto his chest.

“I’ll try, Tones.”

Another five minutes of comforting the little genius, Steve saw Bruce raise his medical kit in the air. 

“Ah yeah! Hey, little T, we need to get your feet all better. Can we do that?”

“I want cuddles,” came muffled from Steve’s shirt. 

Steve let out a soft laugh and said: “Okay, how’s this? I’ll give you cuddles and you let Bruce and Natasha get that glass out of your feet?”

“I guess so.”

Steve heard chuckles from the team as he stood to his feet and walked over to the kitchen table.

Nat dressed her burns, they weren’t as bad as Steve had remembered, the redness had gone way down, and the bubbles from the blisters were considerably smaller. But maybe that was the adrenaline talking. Bruce had removed the glass shards from her legs and feet and in the process of that, Toni had fallen asleep on Steve’s chest.

A couple hours later everyone was snuggled up on the couch watching FRIENDS, Toni still sleeping after her crazy morning.

“Don’t be mad at Toni,” Fury said, as he waved for JARVIS to pause the tv.

“What?” Steve asked, softly as he looked down at the little Toni, that was snuggled tightly against his chest, holding on to the bigger man like her was her giant teddy bear.

“No, adult Toni. She’s been through more than anyone I’ve ever known, and she’s only twenty-four... Just remember that when she’s back to normal size, will you?”

“Yeah, of course Nick, I could never be mad at Toni for this. This in no way was her fault,” Steve whispered, looking down at the sleeping Toni that was snuggled into his chest. “And if I could I would kill Howard Stark with my own two hands.”

“Join the club,” Clint agreed, taking a sip of his beer. JARVIS continued the episode of FRIENDS and the tired team of superheroes went back to watching one of their favorite shows.

Steve felt Toni’s big brown eyes staring at him, as she had just woken up. She looked a little confused at first, but then the confused look fell off her face as she smiled at the bigger man. Toni sat up with a yawn falling off her lips as she stretched her little arms above her head.

“I’m hungry,” She proclaimed with a pout that adult Toni used far too often. 

Steve smiled at the tiny Toni in his arms and asked:

“And what can I get you to eat, doll?”

A smirk appeared on the tiny genius’s face, she raised an eyebrow and asked: “Do you have chicken nuggets?” 

“For you, always.” Her smile grew wider as she threw her arms around Steve’s neck, saying: “Thank you, Stevie!”

Steve went to sit Toni down on the sofa, to head to the kitchen to get started on his little genus’s late lunch. But as he lowered Toni back onto the couch, she tightened her grip around his neck and whined into his neck.

Steve flinched at the crazy strong grip of the little five-year-old, there were only two people that could hurt him with a hug and that was Bucky and Thor. So why was five year old Toni able to hurt the super soldier. Steve turned to Bruce, a concerned look covering his face. 

“Toni. Sam and Bucky are gonna go make you some chicken. Me, you, and Bruce are gonna head down to the lab and do some experiments. How does that sound?” The smile grew on Toni’s face as a squeal left her lips.

“Yay! Science! Father never lets me do science with adults!” Steve placed a kiss on her forehead and half the team followed the two down to the lab, confusion clear on their faces, but not a one dared to ask Steve what was going on.

***

Arriving at the lab, questions left Toni’s mouth left and right. Questioning all the advanced machines she’d never seen, and the robots rolling around the room. Steve sat down on the exam table, with Toni resting on his knee. He turned his attention to the older scientist and sighed:

_ “Somethings not right. The wounds on her legs and arms are healing too fast for a normal person. And she’s strong, she’s way too strong for a five-year-old.” _

Bruce, Clint and Natasha turned to Fury, questioning looks on their face.

“As far as I know, she’s a normal five year old. She’s always been strong and fast, but nothing out of the ordinary.” 

“JARVIS, re-run her blood tests, this time check for abnormalities,” Bruce said, making his way over to his computer, going back over her chart.

“ _ Yes, Dr. Banner. Running it now.”  _

Toni jumped at the voice and looked around the room. “Jarvis?” She asked softly.

“This is an AI JARVIS, A very special Stark made him to honor the real Jarvis,” Fury said, smiling at the tiny genius on Steve’s knee. 

“Wow..” 

“Toni, I have a question?” Steve asked.

“Yes?” 

“Do you ever get sick?” The team flashed him strange looks and then turned their attention back to Toni.

“Nope, not really. Not since last year.”

“What happened last year, Toni?” Bruce asked.

“Father said I can’t tell anyone, I haven’t even told mommy or Jarvis.” She continued looking around the room, swinging her legs. Steve sucked in a deep breath and turned to Bruce.

“JARVIS, run my last blood panel against Toni’s.”

_ “Yes, Captain Rogers.” _

“Steve, what are you thinking?” Clint asked.

“I’m not 100%, but I think Howard did something more to his daughter than we think.”

“You mean like an experiment?” Bruce questioned.

“Yeah.. Yeah,” Steve sucked in a cold breath and whispered: “Something like that.”

“Toni, can you tell me what happened last year?” Fury asked. 

“Nope,” The little brunette said, her little legs swinging around Steve’s knee. “Father said ‘Not even Nicky can know,’”

“Toni, this is really important.” Clint said, crouching down in front of Toni. “Are you sure you can’t tell us?” 

“Father said, if I told anyone Captain America would--.” She looked up at Steve and was hit with a sudden realization. “Oh.”

“Toni, I’ll never hurt you, doll," Steve reassured her.

“Yeah! And Captain America never lies. Plus daddy loves you so much, I’m sure he would be okay with it!” She stated, leaning back into Steve’s chest.

“That’s right, Toni. So I need you to tell Steve what Howard did to you,” Bruce reassured her, softly. 

“He told me it wouldn’t hurt, and it would make me grow big and strong-- like Steve!”

Clint turned away covering his mouth with his hands and Fury looked anywhere in the room that wasn’t Toni.

“What would make you grow big and strong like Steve?” Bruce asked, fighting the green tinge that was taking over his skin.

“The green stuff--.”

_ “Pardon my interruption, tiny boss. But Dr. Banner and Captain Rogers, I have the results of the blood panel.” _ JARVIS informed them.

“Tell us,” Bruce commanded.

_ “It appears that Toni’s DNA and Captain Rogers DNA,  _ _ consists of the same two complementary chains of Nucleotides.” _

“Pull that up please… Holy shit, Howard.” Bruce said, biting his bottom lip.

_ “Of course, Doctor.” _

“English please, someone,” Steve begged. 

“It means I’m strong like you, Steve!” Toni said proudly, with a grin from ear to ear.

Steve’s jaw dropped and he turned to Bruce for conformation. 

“It.. It appears,” he said, scratching his head and continued: “Howard recreated a weaker version of the serum and injected Toni with it...”

Steve picked the little girl up off his knee and sat her down on the exam table. Steve held back his tears as stumbled his way out of the room.

Steve was gonna bring Howard Stark back from the dead and kill him with his bare hands. He let out a heartbroken groan and kicked over a table of vials and test tubes. Not caring as they shattered when they made contact with the concrete floor.

“ _ How could he do this to Toni? _ ” Steve sobbed, falling back against the wall, his body slowly sinking to the floor. 

What more had Toni been through in her life? Emotional abuse as a child, her parents death at nineteen, being kidnapped and tortured in Afghanistan, Obidiah betraying her and trying to kill her three times. Palladium poisoning, and flying a fucking missile into space had been enough.

But now, hearing and seeing the physical abuse Howard put her through. It ripped Steve’s heart right out of his chest. Steve wanted his Toni back. He wanted to hold her in his arms and promise he would never let anyone hurt her again. 

Steve knew she was gonna try and hide, try to avoid talking about her past. That’s what she did, she was always afraid Steve would see exactly how broken she was and he would leave. 

But, Steve could never leave her. Steve could never. Toni was his whole world, his whole universe. No matter their past, no matter their broken pieces. There was no one else Steve wanted to spend the rest of his forever with. 

“Steve?” He heard Nastaha whisper. He ran his hands down his face, wiping the tears and snot away and looked towards the voice. “You alright there, big guy?”

“I’ll be okay," Steve whispered, nodding his head.

“It’s okay not to be, you know? Your girlfriend was turned back into her five year old self, and we all happened to witness her childhood abuse first hand. That’s not been easy on anyone, especially you.” 

“I never knew it was this bad.. She never.. How did I not notice? How did I not see it?! She was terrified of me!”

“She loves you, Steve. You know Toni… She buries her past and lives despite it. Toni probably thought she was doing you a favor by not telling you...”

Steve let a sad chuckle leave his lips. “That is something Toni would do.. But she shouldn’t have too. She should have never had to go through what she did.” He scratched the back of his neck and turned to face Natasha. “I just.. I miss her so much.. I just wanna hold her.. I wanna hold her and tell her it’s all gonna be okay.. I miss her so much and it’s only been two days.”

“I know you do, buddy, I know. But, right now, let's go back in there and help tiny Toni. Give her the good childhood memories, she never had.” Natasha said, reaching a hand out to help the super soldier onto his feet.

“Yeah, yeah. I’d like that.”

And with that the team gathered in the gym, playing hide and seek, and freeze tag. Enjoying the time they had left with their tiny genius. 

“ _ Tag _ , you’re frozen, Stevie!” Steve heard Toni giggling, right as he felt her little hand on his thigh. 

“Dang it!” Steve laughed, freezing with his hands in the air.

Toni giggled at his frozen form and took off after Bucky who was running around screaming about how it was unfair that Toni and Natasha were the taggers. Clint and Bruce, still frozen in their spots, waiting for Bucky or Sam to come and unfreeze them.

“What a great mid-guardian team building exercise!” They heard Thor’s booming voice. 

Everyone turned to face Thor who was holding a glass bottle of blue liquid in his hand. Toni looked the giant god up and down and then turned to Natasha, saying:

“He’s cute, but he talks funny.” 

The team busted into a chorus of laughter and Thor smiled, walking over to the tiny Toni.

“You’re a very beautiful little girl yourself. Have you been faring well under the care of our team?”

“Yes, sir, I have. We’ve had lots of fun! I learned a lot!”

“Why, that is wonderful, Antonia!” Toni turned and smiled at Steve, then she pointed to the bottle of blue liquid. 

“What’s that?”

“That is a very delicious beverage. Thor brought it here just for you.” Bruce smiled.

Steve picked Toni up, placing her on his hip and said: “Let’s go to the common room and put on a film. You can have your super cool drink there.”

“Awesome!” Toni said, and with that the team headed to the common room to relax and unwind with a Disney film.

“Mother said it would probably take four hours for friend Toni to return to her regular form,” Thor said softly, as Toni was engrossed by what was adult Toni’s favorite Disney film, Beauty and the Beast.

“Hey Toni, are you ready for the cool drink?” Natasha asked, and glanced at Steve, looking for his confirmation. He nodded his head, placing a kiss to his tiny genius’s head.

“But first JARVIS. Could you get a picture of all of us together?” 

_ “Of course, Captain.” _

The team gathered for a group picture with their tiny genius, Bucky made sure to snap a couple of just Steve and Toni with his phone.

“It is supposed to taste like blueberries. The Captain informed me that was your favorite,” Thor said, pulling the cork out of the bottle before handing it to the smaller girl.

“I love blueberries!” Toni said, taking the bottle in her hands. She smelled the potion and stuck her finger in it. Steve couldn’t help the chuckle on his lips as he watched his little scientist investigate the blue potion. “Hmm, okay. I’ll drink it.” It seemed tiny Toni was just as incautious as adult Toni, as she placed the bottle to her lips and drank until it was all gone. 

“Wonderful! Let’s get back to this beautiful film!” 

And with that, Toni snuggled back up in between Steve and Natasha, watching the little genius as she watched her favorite movie for the first time.

***

About an hour before the potion was supposed to kick in, they all decided it would be best for the transformation to happen with just Steve present. Steve agreed, knowing Toni would most definitely freak out once she was back to normal size. So he carried the tiny, sleeping genius to his and adult Toni’s room. 

Steve counted down the minutes on the clock, waiting until he could hold his Toni back in his arms. Not that he didn’t enjoy spending time with tiny Toni; he truly did. She was adorable, kind and smart as a whip. And running around after the five-year-old made Steve’s heart start to ache to have a little trouble maker of his own. Half Toni and half himself. But that was a conversation for another time in the future. 

Just as Steve wrapped up his thoughts a bright blue light enclosed around Toni’s body as she laid on the bed, snuggled under the covers. Steve shielded his eyes, turning away as it burned so bright it started to burn his eyes. 

“Why does my head hurt so fucking bad.” He heard his Toni groan. 

Steve had never been so happy to hear the word ‘fuck’ leave Toni’s mouth as he was in that moment. He let out a shout of happiness and jumped onto the bed, straddling his genius. 

“Oh my gosh, I missed you so much baby!” Steve said, placing light kisses all over his girlfriends face. Toni giggled, trying to bat the super soldier away. 

“What do you mean missed me? Where did I-- Oh no. Steve,  _ no _ .”

Steve rolled off Toni, happiness dismissed as he stood to his feet, watching the shocked expression settle on his genius’s face. He watched as Toni jumped up, pacing across their bedroom floor.

“Steve.. Steve.. I’m so- I’m so sorry you had to find out like that.. I didn’t I--.” Steve took Toni’s face in his hands and placed a soft kiss to her lips.

“Don’t, please don’t apologize. You did nothing wrong.  _ Nothing _ .”

And in that moment was when Toni finally let it all go, she burst into tears, letting the heavy weight of her past fall off her shoulders. Steve picked his genius up, swaddling her against her chest and laid down on the bed. Knowing the long night they had ahead of them. It would be painful and full of tears, but worth it. 

Toni was always worth it. 

****The Next Morning****

Toni was the last Avenger to make an appearance for breakfast and Steve explained to the team that she was a bit embarrassed about her younger self. They all, of course, understood. They couldn't imagine what it would be like to be in Toni’s shoes. 

When Toni made her way to the breakfast table and took her normal seat, no one had spoken. Just kind of waiting to see what kind of mood the genius was in.

“Well...this is awkward," Toni spoke, as Steve placed a plate of blueberry pancakes and bacon down in front of her. 

“It’s alright, doll,” he reassured her, placing a kiss on her head and headed back to the kitchen to fix his plate. 

“Okay, I’m going balls deep. Sam, Bucky, Thor, yes, you are all incredibly handsome men. Natasha, thank you for helping me kick ass in freeze tag. Also, I’m not mad at you or Clint for talking to Steve. It was a weird situation, you did what you should have for this family. Also, thank you for being cool with all my history and stuff…”

The team flashed Toni giant smiles, and the room erupted. Bucky and Sam talking about Toni’s crush on him, while Clint and Natasha argued about the cheating that took place during the freeze tag game. 

“See, told you it would all be okay." Steve beamed as he took a seat next to his girlfriend.

“Right as you always are, Stevie.” 

They ate their breakfast, exchanging embarrassing childhood stories, betting on another game of freeze tag, and laughing at the events that transpired over the past several days. 

As things slowly got back to normal a little later on in the day, Steve couldn’t brush off that conversation he, Natasha, Clint and Fury had outside of tiny Toni’s medbay room. Steve had waited till the day had calmed down, and they were all chilling on the couches in the living room. Clint and Bucky were snuggled up on the couch, as Fury was chowing down on some popcorn in one of the love seats.

“Clint, what was it you and Fury were talking about outside of tiny Toni’s medbay room?”

Clint’s eyes went wide and he turned to face Fury and Toni. Fury sighed, stood up from his chair and said: 

“Time to face the music, kiddos. On that note, I’m gonna head out.” 

Toni snorted and yelled after him: “So you’re the one who taught me to run away from conflict!”

“And don’t you forget it, Amore!”

And with that Fury was gone.

Steve looked down at Toni as she turned her attention to Clint, almost as if they were communicating through their eyes. Clint nodded and stood to his feet. 

“Okay. Um. Me, Toni, Nat and Fury are the only people who know this... But, I told you I was the one who was assigned to her during 2010 right?” Steve stood to his feet, Toni following his actions. 

“Yes, with the palladium poisoning.”

“Well...” Clint said and turned to Toni, gesturing for her to continue the story.

“Okay. So, when I was sick, it was also my 21st birthday. I got wasted and Clint as a terrible personal assistant, got wasted with me.” Toni bit her lip and turned to Clint, who nodded his head. “We...had sex...” Toni whispered.

“You two? Slept together?” Bucky said, standing to his feet. Steve glanced at Toni and Clint in confusion. 

“But...You’re gay?” Steve asked, pointing to Clint.

“You told me you’d never slept with a woman before,” Bucky asked, raising an eyebrow at his boyfriend. 

“Okay, well. I am gay. 150% gay. We just.. We were wasted. Like alcohol poisoning wasted... And it just happened.”

“Like.. Penatrive sex?” Bucky asked with an uncomfortable look on his face.

“Gross. But yeah. It was sloppy, drunk sex. I mean, I don’t even remember it really," Toni said, shrugging her shoulders with an unsure smile across her face. Steve turned to Clint and busted out with laughter. 

“Holy fuck,” he laughed turning to Bucky. “Your boyfriend and my girlfriend slept together.”

Ignoring the confused faces of Clint and Toni, Bucky joined Steve in his hysterical laughter. 

“What’s even funnier is-- we were both frozen at the same time!”And with that the two super soldiers continued laughing. 

“This is weird,” Toni said softly, Clint nodded his head in agreement.

When the soldier's laughter died down Steve placed his hands on Toni’s waist and pulled her into his chest. 

“It doesn’t matter to me who you’ve slept with in your past. As long as I’m the only one now.” He placed a kiss to her lips. 

“You’re my forever, Steve,” Toni whispered softly on his lips. Steve smiled happily down at his genius and stole her lips in another kiss. As the two superheros continued kissing, they didn’t pay attention to the other couple making up in the background. 

That’s when Steve remembered and pulled away from Toni’s lips.

“Clint?” He asked looking at the blond man, over Toni’s head. 

“Yeah, Steve?” Clint replied, turning away from his kiss with his own soldier.

“You and me, tomorrow, sparring in the gym, 12:30. Don’t be late," he ordered before he swept his genius off her feet, throwing her over his shoulder and carried her off to their bedroom.

He heard Clint groan and Bucky chuckle as they made their way out of the room.

“Don’t hurt the man,” Toni giggled, as he laid her onto their deep red comforter. 

“No promises. You’re still my girl.”

“You’re basically a caveman,” Toni chuckled.

“Only for you, baby doll, only for you.”

And with that, they spent the rest of their day in each other's arms, beneath the red, satin sheets. With many late night conversations ahead of them, fights and long nights filled with passion. Days of watching Disney movies and cuddling, and battles to keep the world safe. Steve knew there was no one else he would rather experience this life with than the short haired, brunette in his arms. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!!  
> Comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated!
> 
> ___________________
> 
> Another huge thanks to my soulmate @parkrstark for her being my beta again. ILYSM, you're the best.


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